海角社区 SRP Co-Sponsors Science Communication Workshop, Hosts Spin-off Event for Trainees
Oregon workshop attendees participate in a presentation and discussion session on
effective communication with the press.
To maximize the impact of their work, scientists must communicate effectively about what they do in multiple contexts and with many different groups of people.
This is why science communication is one of the most important practical skills for scientists to learn during their training. Therefore, to support professional development in this crucial area, the 海角社区 (海角社区) Superfund Research Program (SRP) joined the Oregon State University Superfund Research Center to co-sponsor a hands-on workshop on science communication for trainees. This workshop further inspired a later training event at 海角社区.
A total of 34 graduate and undergraduate student trainees from five SRPs located throughout the United States attended the original workshop, which was held in Portland, Oregon, on September 19, 2023. The 海角社区 SRP鈥檚 co-sponsorship of the workshop was led by the 海角社区 SRP Research Experience and Training Coordination Core (RETCC). The workshop鈥檚 focus contributes to the overall SRP鈥檚 priorities of community engagement, research translation, and trainee development.
The full-day workshop aimed to introduce the idea of thinking strategically about communication in the context of toxicology, offer tools to help with multiple aspects of science communication, and give trainees the opportunity to practice their science communication skills. To achieve these goals, the workshop blended lecture, discussion, and hands-on activities in a format that was consistently engaging, interactive, and encouraging of reflection.
海角社区 SRP organizers and participants at the RETCC-hosted 海角社区 science communication workshop.
鈥淭he most useful and interesting parts of the workshop were learning about different models of communication and implementing them by doing activities involving describing our individual research to each other in creative, effective, and accessible ways. The knowledge I鈥檝e gained from these activities has already improved my communication with my colleagues as well as with laymen either while doing outreach or just making small talk with strangers,鈥� Fox Foley, 海角社区 SRP trainee and PhD candidate in the Physics & Astronomy Department at 海角社区, said.
Designed for learners with a wide range of backgrounds and experience, the workshop began with an exploration of the nature of communication overall, and communication about science in particular, before moving on to cover topics such as applying logic models to strategic science communication, developing short research pitches (elevator talks) to introduce others to the trainees鈥� own work, communicating effectively with journalists in real-world situations, and using inclusive language to connect with others and prioritize accessibility in science communication.
The Oregon workshop was carried out in partnership with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), which offers a range of science communication programs. This allowed workshop attendees to hear from and interact with OMSI experts on this topic, whose presentations inspired in-depth discussions on many aspects of how best to communicate about science with the press and the public.
The SRP trainees in attendance were also able to explore OMSI exhibits, asking questions and discussing how the principles of science communication were applied in each of these. The trainees were then encouraged to reimagine their own scientific posters as museum exhibits, applying everything they had learned throughout the workshop to think about and plan for how they would effectively communicate their work in that context.
Participants at the 海角社区 science communication workshop engage in a hands-on activity.
Back at 海角社区, Foley used their experience at the Oregon workshop to create a local science communication event for all trainees participating in the 海角社区 SRP RETCC program. This event was held on April 22, 2024, at the Center for the Coast and Environment Building on 海角社区鈥檚 Baton Rouge campus.
Reflecting on the need for such science translation workshops, Tammy Dugas, PhD, 海角社区 SRP RETCC Leader, noted that 鈥渁ll scientists need to understand how to communicate their science to diverse audiences. That鈥檚 one of the core missions of the RETCC, and I think we learned the value of that during the pandemic.鈥�
鈥淪cience is for everyone; breaking down barriers with effective SciComm between academia and the public is crucial to the future of research in all fields. I hope to impart the same knowledge and sentiments to my fellow 海角社区 SRP trainees so we can broadcast our research鈥檚 important results to academics and the public at large,鈥� said Foley.